Chapter 561: Azure Lightning Pursuit, Twin Soul Strike!

Yun Xiao opened his eyes, stood up, and looked over to the Celestial Thunder Rankings with a calm heart.

On the ranking, the nine-colored lightning serpents displayed the name

Lu Yao

.

On the right side, another cluster of lightning snakes formed a name in three characters.

"Dongfang Yong?" Yun Xiao paused briefly.

"Lu Yao!" Governor Jiang, startled by these two names, his face quivered with fear as he hurriedly approached Yun Xiao. Turning his back to Dongfang Sheng and his son, he spoke earnestly, "I swear, I've played no tricks with the order of this battle."

"Oh?" Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow at him.

"You should know, I have no reason to do such a thing," Governor Jiang gritted his teeth.

Yun Xiao pursed his lips and replied, "Don’t worry, I don’t mind."

"You don’t mind?" Governor Jiang was taken aback. He wanted to say that Dongfang Yong had secrets he was hiding. But seeing Yun Xiao’s demeanor, he swallowed his words.

"Governor Jiang, we are friends." After saying this, Yun Xiao headed towards one of the thunderclouds.

Nearby, Dongfang Yong approached his father in excitement.

"Dad!"

"Governor..." Dongfang Sheng suddenly burst into tears. He patted his son's shoulder and said, "Go and fight. I will go thank Governor Jiang!"

"Alright!" Dongfang Yong's eyes were dark as ink. "In the Thunder Department’s selection, descendants of noble families usually don’t kill unless old blood feuds are involved!"

With that, he rushed into one of the thunderclouds like a gust of wind.

"Governor!" Dongfang Sheng hurried over, his eyes red.

"Hush." Governor Jiang coughed softly, leaned close to Dongfang Sheng, and whispered, "We have been comrades in life and death for many years. How could I let your son die wronged? This time, I did my best."

"Mhm!!" Dongfang Sheng's face turned red with gratitude, his emotions clearly etched across his face.

Governor Jiang spoke quietly, "Just keep it to yourself. No one else must know."

"Understood!" Dongfang Sheng nodded, turned away, his gaze burning with fervor as he watched his son, whom he had meticulously raised for 30 years, finally step onto the battlefield of glory he had always craved!

It was his first battle, and he faced an enemy marked by life and death!

This duel, in truth, was a minor spectacle in the Thunder Department's vast arena, attracting little attention initially.

The 10,000 participants and a host of high ranking officials focused instead on the renowned prodigies of the Thunder Department itself.

However, just then, a voice seemingly gentle yet piercing resonated across the field from the Celestial Thunder Platform.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to the young man named Lu Yao over at Thundercloud 1,001. He's been acknowledged as my brother’s adopted son. Let's all take good care of him from now on."

This announcement stunned everyone. They all knew the speaker was Cao Shuo!

The once overlooked arena instantly captured nearly all the attendees' attention!

Everyone stared at Yun Xiao with intrigue. They couldn’t mistake him for Dongfang Yong; Yun Xiao’s face was too well known in the Thunder Department!

"It really is him!"

"Is Thunder Emissary Cao airing her brother's dirty laundry in public?"

"My heavens, she’s trying to disgrace her brother in front of everyone!"

Realizing the situation, the crowd couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

"This is going to be interesting."

"Thrilling!"

The masses first looked at Yun Xiao, then back at the Celestial Thunder Platform.

Although they couldn’t see General Cao's face, it was clear he was probably as red as a beet. Moreover, faint laughter could be heard emanating from the usually solemn Celestial Thunder Platform…

"General Cao today bit off more than he could chew and ended up swallowing a bitter pill, spitting out all the prestige he had accumulated over the years."

"He was too hasty, if it were me, I would at least let the kid manifest his spirit first."

"I heard it was a new Thunder Emissary named Jiang Taiping who tripped him up!"

"Tsk tsk, looks like Jiang Taiping's career has hit a dead end!"

Whispers spread like ants crawling into ears.

Governor Jiang, hearing these words, could only close his eyes and clench his fists tightly.

"Father..." Jiang Haiyan finally understood the predicament her father faced.

With Cao Shuo causing chaos, she suddenly realized that she was actually hoping for Yun Xiao to dazzle everyone!

"Lu Yao! Lu Yao!" Jiang Heqing appeared bewitched, her eyes wildly calling out, utterly obsessed.

In the spotlight, Dongfang Yong felt as if he were dreaming.

"I really should thank you. Without your little stunt, I would've never received so much attention in my entire life!" Dongfang Yong said with a bizarre expression.

"You're welcome. After all, we all know you're pretty mediocre otherwise." Yun Xiao stood amidst a whirlwind of thunder, yet he seemed calm and detached, as if oblivious to the surrounding chaos.

His words shattered Dongfang Yong's defenses. He was unwilling to be mediocre. But his circumstances had forced him to remain low-key. He was merely concealing his own sharpness!

"Clueless as ever, even when facing death..." Dongfang Yong shook his head inwardly. He found it pointless to waste words on such a person.

BOOM!

He loosened his muscles, and his Immortal body erupted with the crackling thunder of a tiger or leopard. In an instant, his skin turned from white to platinum, his body like a divine weapon, surrounded by thousands of sharp edges.

"A Martial Cultivator! Roughly at the Late Divine Self Realm!"

With Dongfang Yong's full exertion, many formidable beings discerned his true level of cultivation.

He was stronger than Jiang Haiyan by a whole stage!

At that moment, Dongfang Yong was clad in his Arbiter Armor, resembling a war god.

"Does anyone know how strong General Cao's adopted son is?"

"I heard he's 27 years old and just entered the Essence Manifestation Realm."

A collective smirk spread among the onlookers as they shook their heads.

"Wow, he really is a

once-in-an-era talent

."

Laughter rolled through the crowd.

Dongfang Yong knew they were mocking Yun Xiao. He laughed as well. What a spectacle! A spectacle indeed! He had never received so much attention in his entire life.

Seizing this moment of unparalleled glory, Dongfang Yong’s expression turned cold, and he stretched out his hand, manifesting his spirit. A human-dragon hybrid coalesced beside him.

"The Tyrant Dragon Spirit!"

"I heard this young man hails from a regional city, possessing both innate talent and profound heritage."

"He surely deserves a place at the headquarters of the Thunder Department!"

"His future is boundless!"

The cheering swelled, sending waves of exhilaration through Dongfang Yong.

This was the moment he had yearned for thirty years!

"Lu Yao!" As a Martial Immortal, Dongfang Yong’s hand shimmered with golden light, and a long spear adorned with golden dragon scales materialized in his palm, his aura explosively brilliant!

This was the Arcane Sun Dragon Spear!

Grasping the Arcane Sun Dragon Spear, Dongfang Yong moved, surging forward like a platinum storm towards Yun Xiao.

His Tyrant Dragon Spirit, merging with his body, whirled around the spear! It was man, spirit, and spear unified!

THRUM! THRUM! THRUM!

With one thrust, his spear exploded eight times, the golden light dazzling.

This was the Dongfang Family's Celestial Martial Art, the Eightfold Dragon Chant!

This spirit, this force, this will... In the eyes of the onlookers, this was the very embodiment of what a young Arbiter ought to be!

Dongfang Yong's attack truly drew a wave of admiration.

"What a promising youth!"

This simple praise made his brain swell with pride, his spear thrusting forward more swiftly, a blend of murderous intent and resentment coiling around him like a golden dragon biting at Yun Xiao!

Before this golden storm, Yun Xiao appeared delicate and frail, as if he could be annihilated in the next moment.

Yet, as he gazed at the frenzied Dongfang Yong, his eyes held only serenity and a profound indifference.

"In the path of the Immortals, baring your teeth is a precursor to death." Yun Xiao extended his hand, and an azure Sword Soul spread forth.

Beside him, a spirit resembling him in a white robe slowly materialized.

In the hand of this white-robed spirit appeared a sword, part of the spirit itself, exuding a pale azure hue and swirling with mist.

"Azure Lightning Pursuit, Twin Soul Strike!" Yun Xiao murmured these words softly.

The Azure Lightning Pursuit was a Palm Sword technique he learned at the Skyruler Immortal Manor. It was one of the most basic celestial techniques.

And the Twin Soul Strike...

At the moment Yun Xiao acted, his Creator Immortal spirit, like his shadow, moved with him.

Its sword followed the trajectory of Yun Xiao's Heaven Burial Sword Soul perfectly, mirroring the evolution of his swordsmanship!

BUZZ!

Yun Xiao’s strike, swift as a blue lightning snake, exploded with a crack, and myriad fissures wreathed in blue lightning burst forth on the Heaven Burial Sword Soul!

Beside him, the element spirit, like a double image amidst the thunder and lightning, moved its sword in sync with the Heaven Burial Sword Soul. As it sliced through the air, it too generated streaks of pale azure lightning!

The trajectory of this pale azure lightning mirrored that of the Heaven Burial Sword Soul, creating a dual surge of electric light!

Clearly, the lightning from the spirit’s sword was not driven by celestial power!

If one tried to observe the battle up close through astral projection, they would be able to distinctly feel how lethal this lightning was toward other spirits!

As Yun Xiao executed this strike, the 10,000 onlookers had yet to react when suddenly, a stirring murmur arose from the Celestial Thunder Platform.

In a flash, it was a blaze of sparks!

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

There, Yun Xiao and his spirit executed the Twin Soul Strike, the sword true to its name, as swift and fierce as lightning, striking with utmost precision!

It was one sword, and yet it was also two!

CRACKLE!

In just a blink, a net of azure lightning encased Dongfang Yong's golden dragon spear!

KLANG! KLANG! KLANG!

The clash between the Heaven Burial Sword Soul and the Arcane Sun Dragon Spear sent sparks flying and a piercing sound throughout the arena.

"GAGHHH!"

In the next instant, both Dongfang Yong and his spirit were overwhelmed by Yun Xiao's sword.

The pale azure lightning serpent sword light pierced through Dongfang Yong’s Tyrant Dragon Spirit and swept across his body!

The light in Dongfang Yong's eyes and the arrogance on his face turned to sheer terror in that moment!

"No…!" His eyes widened, staring at the young man enveloped in azure lightning.

"Dongfang Yong, in death, you will carry the infamy of having slain your sworn brothers. It was my arrangement—no need to thank me."

SLASH!

Yun Xiao's sword passed over Dongfang Yong. His Heaven Burial Sword Soul did not touch Dongfang Yong's body.

Dongfang Yong was unharmed physically! However, his gaze darkened with despair, dimming as hope faded.

THUD!

His body fell downwards.

And there stood Yun Xiao alone atop the thundercloud, lifting his Heaven Burial Sword Soul.

As Yun Xiao raised that sword to the heavens, the Thunder Immortal Formation above roared to life. Billions of lightning bolts twisted and roiled, cascading down to illuminate him.

Amidst this storm of electric serpents, Yun Xiao radiated with heroic spirit, his divine aura shining bright like a deity. He didn't utter a single word. But with that one sword, he was literally forcing the elites of the Thunder Department to view him in a new light!